Maalak Compton-Rock

Calling: Non-profit Extraordinaire

Why we’re saluting her:

You may know Maalak Compton-Rock as simply the wife of comedian Chris Rock, but the former public relations professional has built a successful career all on her own, namely by giving back to the less fortunate.

Compton-Rock started out in the entertainment side of PR and special events, coordinating a number of movie and music release campaigns for clients from Essence to HBO. Later, she went on to accept a position at UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, where for three years she created and executed a number of fundraising and advocacy events with the help of celebrity spokespersons which was aimed at increasing the visibility of the organization and increasing corporate philanthropy.

It was during her time at UNICEF that Compton-Rock realized non-profit work was her true calling. So, she left her job and eventually started her own non-profit, styleWORKS, an organization that provides grooming services, like hair styling, make-up application, skincare services, clothing, accessories, and image consulting to women moving from welfare to work. Now the organization works on a consultant basis and provides monthly mentoring and job-retention based services.

With the success of styleWORKS, Compton-Rock created the umbrella organization, The Angelrock Project, which encompasses all of her causes. The “online e-village” promotes volunteerism, social responsibility, and sustainable change, providing information on how to volunteer, advice on making monetary donations, and links to life-changing non-profit organizations.

Compton-Rock also founded Journey for Change: Empowering Youth Through Global Service, a program that takes at-risk youth from Brooklyn, New York, to Johannesburg, South Africa, for two weeks of global volunteer service. She also created and manages the Champions for Children Committee, which is a group of well-known individuals committed to raising awareness about the signs and prevention of child abuse. Malaak and her husband, Chris, are also active in The Bushwick Salvation Army Community Center in Brooklyn, and helped open a new library and computer lab there with the support of major retailers. For dedicating her life to making the lives of others better, we salute Malaak Compton-Rock.